2025 has been quite the year so far for Nick Woltemade, and it should only get better from here.
Ending his breakout season at Stuttgart with 17 goals and the DFB Pokal trophy, he was called up to the German National Team by Julian Nagelsmann after starring at the U21 Euros as the tournament’s top scorer.
There’s been great excitement and anticipation over just how well he’ll do for us as our new club record signing, and potentially the future face of our entire project as a 6ft 6″ striker with bags of technical ability.
Woltemade has certainly earned his plaudits, and has attracted rave reviews, with Micah Richards and a Premier League legend two big fans…
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast with Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker, Micah Richards couldn’t help but lavish praise on Woltemade, hinting that he could be one of the best signings of the summer.
Richards reveals that he and CBS pundit Thierry Henry were blown away by how good he looked when watching him last season; quite an endorsement given Henry is one of the Premier League greats in the forward department.
He feels the tall but technical striker is a huge talent, admitting he was immediately excited for Newcastle when he heard news of his £69m arrival:
“Newcastle’s signings…I am telling you now…Woltemade is a player!
“I’m not just saying it now. Me and Thierry (Henry)…he played in the U21 but also in a game last season, we was like ‘who is this guy?!” And he was only young.”
“And when they said Newcastle were signing him, I was like ‘that is good business’. I’m telling you now, he’s got it!”
The intrigue surrounding Woltemade is just how deceiving he is: despite being 6’6”, he’s not as much an aerial threat as he is a technical wunderkind. The striker himself has admitted that the best part about his game is his technique and creativity.
And it’s because of how unique he is that Richards is so excited.
“As long as he can adapt to the Premier League: he’s big, but he’s skilful, he can run, and he’s got a decent touch for a big man.”
“Of course the price tag is gonna be the one that everyone talks about. It’s a lot of money for someone so young, but potential-wise he’s very very good.”
VfB Stuttgart demand €100m for Nick Woltemade - Get German Football News
At one point, it seemed certain that Woltemade was bound for Bayern Munich – a team who very, very rarely get it wrong when it comes to strikers.
And it was his performances at the U21 EUROs that helped thrust him into the spotlight and onto Bayern’s radar. Scoring six goals in five games, including a hat trick against Slovenia, Woltemade finished as the tournament’s top scorer.
Only narrowly missing out on the tournament’s Golden Ball award to England’s Harvey Elliot, largely owing to the fact England beat Germany in the final, it was a statement campaign and tournament from the 23-year-old.
We already saw how good Anthony Gordon was when he had a stellar campaign with the U21s back in 2023, here’s hoping Woltemade can do something similar in the upcoming campaign!